The present invention relates generally to devices for adjusting the sound of percussion instruments, and more particularly to an adjustable damping device externally mountable on a drum for transferring drumhead vibrations to the drumhead hold-down hoop of the drum.
Devices for adjusting or tuning the sound produced by a percussion instrument are well known in the art. In particular, there have been many attempts to create efficient damping systems for the drum set, specifically, the tom-toms and snare drum components. To date, there is not a standard damping method for drums that is recognized in the field.
Drum overtones are higher pitched frequencies usually produced from the outside edge (perimeter) of the drumhead. These frequencies represent the most distant pitch relationships from the fundamental pitch produced by the drumhead. They produce a xe2x80x9cmetallicxe2x80x9d type sound that must be properly balanced to produce a good drum sound. This is called, xe2x80x9covertone suppressionxe2x80x9d. When overtones are out of balance, or totally eliminated, the overall tonal quality of the drum is severely diminished.
Previous damping devices for overtone suppression have suffered problems ranging from undesirable effects on the sound and feel of the drum to inconvenience of use. For example, conventional devices are often too complicated and bulky. The first dampeners created were the spring and pad type. This mechanism was simply a metal spring material with a round pad (typically felt material) attached at one end. The other end of the spring is attached to the drum. At first, these dampeners were attached to the hold-down hoop on the outside of the drum shell. In the 1960""s, drum manufacturers began attaching the dampener inside the drum shell in an effort to hide the dampener and to make it more convenient to use and difficult to lose. The problem with this device is that it placed constant pressure upward against the bottom of the drumhead surface, resulting in an undesirable method for damping the drum sound. Regardless of the placement the spring/pad dampener, the problem is that it exerts constant pressure against the head, which affects the head movement even before it is struck.
Two reasonably successful damping devices that have been developed and marketed are the Zero-Ring(trademark), created by Noble and Cooley Drum Company in the 1980""s, and the Moon-Gel(trademark), created by Thomas Rogers in the 1990""s. The Zero-Ring(trademark) device is a polyester ring that sits along the perimeter of the drumhead and is held down by gravity and static charge generated between the head and the ring. However, this device offers no adjustment in the level of damping and, thus, totally suppresses overtones. Also, the ring can easily become bent or distorted, thereby preventing proper adhesion to the head surface. The Moon-Gel(trademark) dampener is a high-density piece of flexible, synthetic material that can be placed anywhere on the head surface and is held down by the tacky nature of the material. Even though this method provides adjustability, there are inherent problems in the fact that overtone suppression build-up is radically affected by placing the extremely dense material in a small area on the surface of the drumhead. Also, the material requires regular cleaning care to maintain adhesion.
Today, there is a broad range of drumheads available and designed to attain any desired drum tone. The problem, however, is that changing drumheads to attain a desired drum tone is a tedious, time consuming chore, not to mention the expense of changing a full set of drumheads. This places limitations on the drummer in that it is often necessary to change the drum sound on the fly depending on the musical style and performance environment. This is especially true in the recording studio environment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, low-cost damping device that is easily externally mounted to a drum for providing a damping effect to the drumhead.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a durable, low maintenance damping system that is highly adjustable to produce almost any desired sound damping effect to the drumhead.
These and other objects are achieved by the externally mounted damping device of the present invention. The damping device of the present invention generally includes a drumhead contact adapted to be adhesively secured (optionally, releasably) to a drumhead of a percussion instrument (such as a drum), and a strap or other elongate member releasably connected between the contact and an exposed surface of the percussion instrument, such as the side of the drum, but most preferably, the drumhead hold-down hoop (commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9ccounterhoopxe2x80x9d) for forming a drum vibration bridge between the drumhead and the exposed surface, e.g., the hold-down hoop. The elongate member (e.g., the strap) has a hoop attachment end and a contact attachment end opposite the hoop attachment end. The hoop attachment end is adapted to be fixed to the drumhead hold-down hoop (or other exposed surface) of the drum, while the contact attachment end is adapted to be releasably connected to the drumhead contact.
In a preferred embodiment, the drumhead contact includes a pressure-sensitive or other type adhesive layer for releasably securing the contact to the drumhead. Additionally, the strap (or other elongate member) is made of a fabric material having one of a hook and loop fastening surface at the contact attachment end, and the contact includes the other of the hook and loop fastening surface. The fastening surface of the strap engages the fastening surface of the contact for providing the releasable connection between the contact and the strap. The strap further preferably includes a patch fixed thereto and having one of a hook and loop fastening surface. The fastening surface of the strap contact attachment end engages the fastening surface of the patch for securing the strap to itself when not in use.
Preferably, the device includes a strap attachment pad having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for releasably (or substantially permanently) fixing the strap attachment pad to the drumhead hold-down hoop of the drum, whereby the hoop attachment end of the strap is releasably connected to the pad. Again, the strap attachment pad includes one of a hook and loop fastening surface, which engages with the fastening surface of the hoop attachment end of the strap for providing releasable connection between the strap and the strap attachment pad.
The elongate member can take different shapes depending on the desired damping effect. In one embodiment, the member is made of a fabric material and includes at least one neck portion defining a teardrop-shaped contact attachment end. In another embodiment, the elongate member includes a hoop attachment foot defining the hoop attachment end, a contact attachment foot defining the contact attachment end and a wire connecting the hoop attachment foot to the contact attachment foot. Preferably, the contact attachment foot is made of a fabric material having one of a hook and loop fastening surface and the contact includes the other of the hook and loop fastening surface. The fastening surface of the contact attachment foot engages the fastening surface of the contact for providing the releasable connection between the contact and the elongate member. The hoop attachment foot can also include one of a hook and loop fastening surface for engaging with a fastening surface provided on a elongate member attachment pad.
Alternatively, the contact attachment foot and the hoop attachment foot can be formed as plastic fittings including an ear projection defining a hole, whereby the wire member is releasably connected between the ear projections of the fittings. The fittings can be provided with one of a hook and loop fastening surface, for engaging with a respective contact and elongate member attachment pad, or the fittings can each have a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for releasably fixing the fittings directly to the respective drumhead and drumhead hold-down hoop.
The present invention further involves a method for damping the vibration of a drumhead. The method includes the steps of attaching one end of a strap (or other elongate member) to an external surface of the drumhead and attaching an opposite end of the strap to any area on the drum but preferably the drumhead hold-down hoop, whereby the strap forms a drum vibration bridge between the drumhead and the drumhead hold-down hoop.